Softball Splits Twinbill With Sailfish

Kayla Ogle went 7-for-7 with a triple, three stolen bases and four runs scored. Photo by Joel Auerbach.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.—The Barry Buccaneers split their softball doubleheader with the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish on Tuesday at the Lake Catherine Sports Complex, dropping the first game 4-3 before storming back in the nightcap 9-0 in five innings.

The set was a mirror image of the games played at Buccaneer Field in February. In Miami Shores, the Bucs (23-17) won 3-1 and the Sailfish pounded out a 10-0 five-inning win in game two.

FIRST GAME

The Sailfish (28-12) rallied with two outs in the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie. Stephanie Garrel had a bunt single and stole second. Jen Hunter delivered an RBI single to left center for the game winner.

Trailing 1-0 in the top of the fifth, Barry scored three runs to take a 3-1 lead. Cheyanne Head singled to lead off the frame. After a sacrifice, Kayla Ogle followed with a single to second base to leave runners at the corners. Ogle stole second and Garrels’ throw sailed into center field, allowing Head to score from third and Ogle to advance to third. Megan Copeland reached on an error by Hunter, bringing Ogle in, and Hunter Mars laced an RBI single down the right field line to plate Copeland.

PBA answered in the bottom of the inning with RBI singles from Victoria Gonzalez and Brianna Rano.

Amber Johnson (16-5) worked a complete game to earn the win. She allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk and struck out two. Britney Pugh (7-6) took the loss, allowing four runs on 12 hits in six innings.

SECOND GAME

The Bucs jumped all over Sailfish starter Katyi Lundin (7-2) in the first inning. Ogle walked and stole second. She went to third on a ground out by Copeland. Mars beat out a bunt to move Ogle to third and then promptly stole second. Julie Brito, Kristina Pazienza and Alexis Kent followed with consecutive RBI singles and Pazienza scored on a wild pitch that marked the end of the night for Lundin.

The hit parade continued in the second. Ogle, who went 7-for-7 in the doubleheader, singled to left and again stole second. It was her 42nd steal of the season, making her just the third Buccaneer in history to steal 40 bases in a season. Copeland singled to left to move her to third and Copeland also stole second. After an unsuccessful bunt, Brito hit a grounder to Mackenzie Johnson at third base, but Johnson’s throw home sailed high and Ogle scored. Copeland scored when Pazienza reached on a fielder’s choice and Brito came home on a squeeze bunt by Kent.

The Bucs added single runs in the fourth and fifth. In the fourth, Pazienza led off with a double and scored on a wild pitch by Amber Johnson. In the fifth, Ogle led off with a triple and Pazienza knocked her in with a single to right.

Taylor Sabol (8-7) went the distance to earn the win for the Bucs. She scattered four hits and two walked in the shutout and struck out five. Lundin, who took the loss, allowed four hits and four runs in a third of an inning.

The Bucs travel on Thursday and Friday for a Sunshine State Conference series with the Eckerd Tritons at the McCusker Sports Complex, before closing with five games at home next week.